Monthly Archives: July 2015

Given some recent conversations I have had, I felt it was important to write this blog, realizing that it is somewhat different from most of my other posts, but I hope it makes sense, and possibly inspires you in one way or another…..

Like many people who enter the world of commerce, I left university bright eyed and bushy tailed with only a handful of contacts and the knowledge of what I had learned over the last four years. I knew there would be a long road ahead of me, and I wouldn’t get to where I am today without a little help from my friends, so to speak.

In business, it seems, that many people like to talk the talk, without necessarily walking the walk. Many industry professionals like to talk a big game when it comes to being philanthropic, whether they donate to charities, volunteer their time every so often, or offer a helping hand to those young people up and coming in their respective fields. Unfortunately. I have found over the years, that when contacting some of these people, what they say they are willing to do doesn’t always line up with reality. Often times people are too busy for you, sometimes they are condescending, while others won’t even return your call. While this is an unfortunate truth within the business world, it is not what I intend this blog to discuss.

Instead I just want to take this space to give a shout out to all of those contacts I have made over the years who have made some time for me. From lawyers to accountants, presidents of major corporations (banks, insurance, newspapers) to owners of sports teams and hotel chains, no matter how wealthy, or important, or busy they may be, throughout my time I have found that there does exist a group of people who know the importance a wise word and helping hand can be to a self made man like myself. It can be difficult to know where to start in the business world, and just as tough knowing where to go once you are on your feet. It is with help from people like I have just mentioned, that got me where I am today, and hopefully where I aspire to be in the years to come.

I believe there is an old saying that reads something like…give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime. To all of you who have helped me to learn how to fish…and you know who you are…thank you for your time, advice, and direction. To others who are in a position to help out, I encourage you to teach others how to fish.

Like most Canadians, my family and I like to escape the harsh winter for a couple of weeks, and migrate south to enjoy some sea, sand, and sun.

Over the past few years we have taken a liking to going on all inclusive Caribbean cruises, and while we do love the activities aboard the ship, we equally enjoy setting foot on dry land, and going on some of the shore excursions.

Recently we went on a cruise with one of the ports of call being the Cayman Islands. I have always loved stopping in the Caymans, as it is known for scuba diving, snorkeling, and especially Sting Ray City. Since we were taking my daughter on this trip, we decided we would try going snorkeling, and rather then booking directly on-board the cruise ship, based on previous experiences I decided to book the excursion from company itself, known as Captain Marvin’s.

Captain Marvin’s is located only a block away from the pier, so after docking it was just a hop, skip, and a dive before we were at the location and checking in. From there it was just a short, air conditioned bus ride before we were at their boats, all of which are in immaculate condition and well stocked with snacks and drinks. All of the boats had bathrooms on board and multiple staff members, besides the captain, to keep everyone entertained.

The best part of the whole experience is that Captain Marvin’s actually takes you to two different reefs, allowing you to explore two different underwater habitats each with their own unique flora and fauna. as well as Sing Ray City ( a sand bar, off the coast, where the water is waste high and the stingrays all come up to you to be fed and petted), where other operations simply stop at one reef.

After the stops, on the way back to the pier, the fun continued, with the employees diving down about 15 feet and bringing some starfish onto the boat for the children to hold and take pictures with. In addition, one of the staff went for a dive, and brought up a couple of conch. He then proceeded to chopped up some conch to make the freshest sushi I’ve ever eaten, and then gave the shells to a few of the kids.

Captain Marvin’s truly makes snorkeling an easy outing, which can be enjoyed by the whole family. To them I tip my mask!

Between my hectic work life and spending time with my family, I find that I often barely have time to see friends or get out of the house for some exercise. Fortunately, I recently discovered Toronto Sport and Social Club and am now able to do both at once!

The club offers participants the opportunity to take part in multiple, co-ed sport leagues, in a range of levels from recreational to competitive. I play soccer with the club once a week and have found that it’s a great outlet to burn some energy, make some friends, and play the sport that I love. However, if soccer’s not your thing then don’t fret, they offer plenty of other sports from squash and sailing to dodgeball, lacrosse, and soft ball.

Rob, the Managing Director of the club, claims that TSSC is the NEW social network, and I tend to agree with him. Not only does the club have sport leagues, but they also host events such as city wide scavenger hunts, intro classes to different sports, and weekend tournaments. The club has given me the opportunity to make new friends, meet business associates, and even set friends up on dates.

So whether you are looking for something to do for the weekend or for the summer, put down your smartphone, lace up your cleats, and go join the new social network!

When I listen to music, I like to listen to it the right way. I can’t stand the crackling audio and poor sound quality that almost always accompanies cheap headphones, so I don’t mind spending a bit more money when it comes to my music listening devices. That’s why, in the past, I have always bought Bose headphones and speakers. When it comes to Bose products, the sound quality is impeccable, the products are attractive, and the headphones are extremely comfortable. I never board a plane, go for a run, or try and tune out my wife without them. Seriously though, I swear by Bose.

Not only am I a huge fan of their headphones, but I am extremely impressed with their customer service, and they way the company stands behind their products. As an example, for years my wife has had a pair of over ear headphones which she loves just as much as I do. Unfortunately, the lining on the inside of her headphones tore after a little over a year of use. Nothing tragic, the headphones were absolutely still useable, but a little less comfortable and a small annoyance more than anything. So, as any doting husband would, I called up Bose see what could be done to remedy the situation. The customer service representative, asked me for the serial number of the headphones and then she informed me, to her dismay, that the headphones were just past the end date of their warranty. Now with most companies that’s the end of the story, no warranty, no luck, however, she checked to see what she could do and by the end of our conversation a complimentary Bose repair kit was in the mail and on its way. The repair kit was extremely easy to use, and within a couple of minutes of arriving in our mailbox, the headphones were fixed and my wife had a smile on her face (and I had bonus points in the memory bank).

Based on my experienced, I just wanted to take this post to give a little shout out to Bose. Once a product’s warranty is up, it’s up, and while Bose really didn’t have to help us out, they saw a problem and went out of their way to fix it. Now that’s what I call music to my ears!